Amnesty Again Demands Gitmo Closure

Sometimes confrontation isn't best tactic, administration suggests

(NEWSER) - Human-rights workers had high hopes for the Obama administration after President Bush’s inconsistent, too-hot-too-cold policies—but so far, the Washington Post reports, activists think President Obama has let rights take a back seat to more pressing concerns. For example, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said pushing China on human rights “can’t interfere with the global economic crisis, the global climate change crisis, and the security crisis.” More»

State Dept. report drops China from top 10 worst abusers despite poor record

(NEWSER) - The State Department has taken China off its list of the world's 10 worst human rights abusers, the New York Times reports. China's human rights record "remained poor," the department's annual report said, with abuses including "extrajudicial killings, torture, and coerced confessions of prisoners." Officials declined to explain why the country was dropped from the list or whether it had anything to do with the Beijing Olympics. More»

(NEWSER) - A human rights activist whose probes into abuse by authorities were a constant irritation to authorities has been kidnapped and murdered in Chechnya, the Wall Street Journal reports. Natalya Estemirova was found shot dead along a roadside hours after witnesses saw her being bundled into a car. Chechnya's president, pro-Russia strongman Ramzan Kadyrov, promised an investigation, but many believe Kadyrov himself is behind the murder. More»

Under fire for recent moves, holds 'probing' pre-speech discussion

(NEWSER) - Dogged by criticism over recent decisions, President Obama invited a crew of human-rights and civil-liberties leaders and academics to discuss Guantanamo, tribunals, and transparency ahead of today’s speech on similar themes, the Huffington Post reports. Obama said he was unhappy with Congress’ denial of funds to close Gitmo and that he’d prefer federal courts over tribunals, but was in a tight position. More»

Pitches for Adidas, Amnesty conflict—and inflame China opinion

(NEWSER) - A major advertising firm finds itself in an awkward predicament, the Wall Street Journal reports, after realizing it produced ads to drum up patriotic support for Chinese athletes in the Beijing Olympics as well as graphic spots criticizing China's human-rights record for Amnesty International. New York-based TBWA Worldwide has renounced the controversial Amnesty ads, but Chinese bloggers are pushing a boycott. More»